Both of these Android phones have similar specifications — the HTC Sensation sports a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 4.3in qHD display, an 8-megapixel camera and wraps it in a unibody aluminium design.

The Samsung Galaxy S II on the other hand also has a 4.3in display, but uses Super AMOLED Plus display technology. It matches the Sensation's 8-megapixel camera and 1080p HD video recorder, but the Galaxy S II's most desirable feature is its design: the handset is just 8.49mm thick, making it thinner than the iPhone 4 and likely the thinnest smartphone in the world.

So how does the HTC Sensation compare against the Samsung Galaxy S II when it comes to specifications?

HTC Sensation vs Samsung Galaxy S II: Design

One of the most lauded features of the Sensation is HTC's unibody aluminium design, which has also been used on a number of HTC's other Android phones including the original Desire, the Desire HD, the Legend and the recently launched Incredible S. The HTC's unibody casing is constructed from a single piece of aluminium. If HTC's other Android phones are anything to go by, the Sensation will look and feel every bit a premium piece of industrial design, and the finish won't be easy to scratch or mark.

The HTC Sensation Android phone uses a unibody aluminium design that is constructed from a single piece of aluminium.

The Samsung Galaxy S II on the other hand is an entirely different proposition. It is just 8.49mm thick, making it likely the thinnest smartphone in the world (at least until another competitor trumps it). The Samsung Galaxy S II has an attractive carbon-like finish on its rear battery cover, and although it is constructed from plastic rather than metal, it felt well built during our brief hands-on with the phone.

Samsung deserves a huge amount of credit for managing to make the Galaxy S II so thin, but we can't help but award the winner here to the HTC Sensation. Its aluminium unibody design means it will more than likely feel like a premium handset should. Although the Sensation is thicker than the Galaxy S II, the extra girth is a trade-off we would be willing to make for the durability of the unibody design.

The Samsung Galaxy S II measures just 8.49mm thick, which makes it likely the thinnest smartphone in the world.

The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.

My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.

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